'He is going to be brilliant' - Scottish amateur tipped for top after Open heroics

Calum Scott shows off the Silver Medal after finishing as the leading amateur in the 152nd Open at Royal Troon. Picture: Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

Calum Scott, the latest player flying the Saltire to win a Silver Medal as leading amateur in an Open at Royal Troon, has been tipped to become Scotland’s next big star in the professional ranks.

The prediction was made by three-time DP World Tour winner Ewen Ferguson, who overtook Scott in the closing circuit at the Ayrshire venue on Sunday to finish as the leading home player in the season’s final men’s major.

Scott, who joined Barclay Howard (1997) and Stuart Wilson (2004) in being a low amateur in the Claret Jug event at Royal Troon, is intending to see out his final year at college in the US.

Ewen Ferguson smiles during one of the Genesis Scottish Open Pro-Ams at The Renaissance Club in East Lothian. Picture: Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

The 20-year-old from Nairn is studying at Texas Tech, where, after following in the footsteps of big brother Sandy by heading to the Lubbock facility, he had a crossover at the start of his spell with Ludvig Aberg before the Swede took the golf world by storm over the past 12 months.

However, an eventual switch to the professional ranks is definitely on the cards for Scott, who has already been snapped up by Hambric Sports, a company which has both world No 1 Scottie Scheffler and five-time major winner Brooks Koepka among the players it manages.

“Unbelievable,” said Ferguson, an amateur star himself before joining the paid ranks eight years ago, of Scott’s performance in the 152nd Open, which featured 12 amateurs - the most since 1987 - from all around the world. “I saw Calum this week and I sensed he was quite timid with me.

“I played with him quite a bit when he was younger and I used to do some Scottish Golf stuff and I was like: ‘Calum, what’s happening?’ I remember I would want that from the older guys, like Stevie Gallacher is like that with me now. After that, he was out of his shell and was like: ‘Hi Ewen, how are you doing?’ And I’m like: ‘Mate you are doing amazing’.

“He is some player, by the way. His swing, his attitude, everything. He is going to be brilliant. His brother Sandy is awesome as well, but I remember playing with Calum a while ago at The Renaissance Club. “I went with Connor [Syme] and a few other boys for a Scottish Golf day and remember thinking: ‘Man, he is so good’. He hits it long, straight, so hard, putts it well. Everything.”

Scott’s eye-catching display in the event’s 152nd edition came hot on the heels of Ferguson producing a brilliant performance to win the BMW International Open then Bob MacIntyre becoming the first home player since Colin Montgomerie in 1999 to win the Genesis Scottish Open.

“Scottish golf is on the up and here’s another guy who is pushing us all to try and do better as well,” added Ferguson, who is doing his own bit in that respect, having broken into the world’s top 100 for the first time on the back of his recent efforts.

Sitting 21st in the Race to Dubai, he’s also in the mix for the ten PGA Tour cards up for offer next year, having set up an opportunity to emulate MacIntyre after he was in a similar situation 12 months ago. “It’s not often you have a chance to get a PGA Tour card and I do this year,” said the 28-year-old. “I remember Bob doing the same: Just go for it. Just give it a real go.”